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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413601">Just Close Friends?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoneedsapublisher/pseuds/whoneedsapublisher'>whoneedsapublisher</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Love Live! School Idol Project</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>College age Maki Nico and Nozomi, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:01:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22413601</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoneedsapublisher/pseuds/whoneedsapublisher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's incredibly obvious that Nico and Nozomi are dating. But apparently, they aren't.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Toujou Nozomi/Yazawa Nico</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Just Close Friends?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="western">Maki had been having lunch with Nozomi and Nico. It always seemed to be “Nozomi and Nico” these days, never one without the other. The two of them aren’t exactly subtle about it either- even before Maki showed up, they were sitting on the same side of the table, so close together that Maki doubts that she could have fit even a single song’s worth of sheet music between them.</p><p class="western">It’s a little more than ten minutes after they’ve finished eating when Nozomi checks her watch and starts to get up.</p><p class="western">“Sorry, Maki,” she says. “I have to go do some grocery shopping for tonight. It was nice seeing you again.”</p><p class="western">“Likewise,” Maki says. It’s easier to be honest about that kind of thing recently, but she has to admit even now she’s tempted to say something a little more sarcastic. She keeps expecting Nozomi to smirk at Maki admitting that she cares. Thankfully, she doesn’t.</p><p class="western">“Don’t forget we’re out of garlic,” Nico says.</p><p class="western">“I know,” Nozomi says. “I’ll see you at home.”</p><p class="western">She leans over and kisses Nico. Not even on the cheek, either, full on the lips. It’s chaste, thank god, just a quick peck before she pulls away, but Nico pretty unmistakably was expecting it and returns it like it’s completely natural. And then Nozomi heads out, waving goodbye as she goes.</p><p class="western">“So, were you ever going to tell the rest of us that you and Nozomi had started dating?” Maki asks, once Nozomi is safely out of the restaurant and it’s just her and Nico, sitting on opposite sides of the table nursing their drinks.</p><p class="western">“What? We’re not dating.” Nico says with a completely straight face, giving Maki a look like <em>she’s</em> the weird one.</p><p class="western">Maki raises her eyebrows incredulously. “Are you seriously going to try to lie to me about this when I’ve been watching you two cuddling for like an hour? And then you <em>kissed</em>?”</p><p class="western">“That doesn’t mean we’re <em>dating</em>,” Nico says, waving the notion off. “I mean, you know, we’re just close, right?”</p><p class="western">“Just close.” Maki repeats the phrase, hoping that when Nico hears it, she’ll realize exactly how ridiculous it sounds. No such luck- she just nods.</p><p class="western">“Look, you’re fine with hugging Rin, right? And you’re not dating,” Nico says, gesturing with her drink. “But if some random girl you’d only just met went around clinging to you like Rin does, it’ll be weird, right? It’s like that with Nozomi and me, only more so.”</p><p class="western">Maki sighs and reaches up to massage her temples. Nico being an idiot is certainly nothing new, but Maki is having a hard time believing it’s that simple this time. Not when Nico sounds so defensive under her affected casual tone.</p><p class="western">“So you’re just friends with benefits, then?” she asks.</p><p class="western">Nico looks affronted. “Excuse me?” she says, pompously. “I don’t remember using such a crass label. Are you going to ask if we’re<em>fuckbuddies</em> next, Maki? Jeez. Some princess <em>you </em>are, with such a foul mouth.”</p><p class="western">Maki briefly considers reaching across the table and throttling her. Nico’s arms are still so thin, she probably couldn’t stop Maki if she just wrapped her fingers around Nico’s pale little throat and started shaking.</p><p class="western">Instead, she takes out a tiny piece of ice from her drink and flicks it at Nico.</p><p class="western">“Real mature, Maki,” Nico says, brushing it off her blouse. “Look, we don’t need a label for it, okay? We’re just two people in a relationship. It’s a freeform thing.”</p><p class="western">“Uh huh,” Maki says. “And the two of you discussed that, did you?”</p><p class="western">Nico squirms a little. “Not… exactly…” she says evasively.</p><p class="western">“Let me guess,” Maki says. “At some point, the two of you started getting closer, and then you kissed once, and both of you were too afraid to ask what it meant, so now your relationship is “freeform” because you don’t know what else to call it.”</p><p class="western">“Wow, okay, I didn’t realize you were a relationship counsellor all of a sudden,” Nicosays, crossing her arms. “How’s <em>your </em>love life going, little Miss Unaccompanied?”</p><p class="western">Maki rolls her eyes. “I’m busy with school,” she says. “I don’t have time to run around trying to date people. And don’t change the subject.”</p><p class="western">Nico frowns and started playing with her straw.</p><p class="western">“...That’s not<em>exactly</em> what happened…” she mumbles.</p><p class="western">“But it’s close enough, right?” Maki asks, leaning back.</p><p class="western">Nico doesn’t respond. Obviously, she’s too proud to admit something like that. Or maybe she’s scared that Maki’s wrong, and Nozomi isn’t feeling the same way.</p><p class="western">“Just ask her out, Nico,” Maki says. “She’s probably just as anxious about this as you are.”</p><p class="western">“I can’t just <em>ask her out</em>,” Nico hisses. “What if she says no?”</p><p class="western">“Why the hell would she say no?” Maki asks. “Nico, do you seriously think Nozomi just goes around kissing people?”</p><p class="western">“Well, no, but…”</p><p class="western">“If you don’t ask her out, I’m going to,” Maki says bluntly.</p><p class="western">Nico’s eyes widen.</p><p class="western">“What the hell? You wouldn’t.”</p><p class="western">“I would,” Maki says. “And when she turns me down, she’s going to have to either say she’s already seeing someone or pointedly avoid saying it. Or maybe she won’t turn me down, and then you’re <em>definitely</em> in trouble.”</p><p class="western">Nico glares at her. “You’re bluffing,” she says.</p><p class="western">Maki pulls out her phone. “I have Nozomi’s number right here, Nico,” she says. “I don’t have any evening classes today. I can go meet her in the park when she’s done shopping.”</p><p class="western">“Fine!” Nico surrenders, throwing her hands up in the air. “But if she says no and our relationship is ruined, I’m going to tell Honoka about that crush you had on her in highschool.”</p><p class="western">Now it’s Maki’s turn to recoil in shock. “You wouldn’t <em>dare</em>,” she hisses.</p><p class="western">“I would and I will,” Nico says threateningly. “Let’s see how well you focus on school when Honoka keeps bothering you about whether you still like her.”</p><p class="western">“You little-”</p><p class="western">Ultimately, of course, it didn’t matter if she was bluffing, since Nozomi was <em>definitely</em> not going to turn Nico down.</p><p class="western">But Maki had to admit, she was a little antsy for the rest of the day as she waited to hear back from Nico. It was already the evening by the time Maki’s phone finally buzzed, and she snatched it up to see what Nico had said.</p><p class="western">There, lit up on her phone screen, were three words.</p><p class="western"><em>She said yes</em>.</p>
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